THE BEST LAID PLANS

Nature's Bounty                                                 © by Ruth Zachary

Hi Blog Followers!

I am sorry I have not kept up with my usual schedule for blogging… about four times per month.

I have been “blessed” with a bumper crop of apples on my two back yard trees. Usually having an organic approach to harvesting my back “forty,” meant the apple worms got about 90% of the apples. This year, cool Weather not only went just right for only minor freezing, and also eliminated a lot of the worm problems. Rain also filled the branches with glorious fruits, that clung to their mothers tenaciously, until several branches broke off from the trees, and fell to the ground, branches, apples and all. Other branches weighted by fruit hung down to the ground, so that I could mow the grass only witha careful strategy.

I pruned the low hanging branches and salvaged the apples. First I rescued the apples from the fallen and drooping branches, sorting the good from the bad, until I had filled 23 recycled grocery bags with mostly pre-ripened apples.

Not wanting to waste good food, I looked for places to give all these delicious sweet apples, I called the local Food Bank, but they were deluged with apples from other sources who had experienced the same sort of blessings. Finally the Salvation Army, which maintains a kitchen picked up my first shipment of apples.

"First shipment", because the job is not yet complete. There are more apples, now nearly ripe, that I hope to distribute to Orgs that help the homeless and needy. Plus, there will be some for home use,

and to give to friends and neighbors.

So I will post my blogs as I am able, and you will know why I have missed a few dates

before and after this post.

Image and writing © by Ruth Zachary.

SHOULD ALL FOODS YOU EAT BE ORGANIC?

Illuminated Fruit. Photograph.                          © by Ruth Zachary

We all know that organic foods can be more expensive than those not identified as such, although lately, sometimes foods at my local organic food store cost less there than they do in a chain grocery store. I have found it prudent to shop in several stores with a list of the foods that tend to have good prices and good quality. I go about once a week and each time to a different store.

But does every food have to be marked organic to be safe to eat? I would say, not all. But some foods should definitely be organically grown. A few are noted below.

Eggs should be organic – YES

Meats ………………… ..YES

Chicken………………….YES

Apples…………………...YES

Avacados………………….NO- people remove the skins, and the skin would contain toxins if sprayed, but not the flesh of the fruit. Some foods are resistant to insects, and are seldom sprayed so there is no need to buy that product with an organic label.

I don’t believe bananas are sprayed, but if you plan to eat the skins, which are very nutritious, you might want to check with your grocer and don't eat the skins without that organic label.

There are some foods that really need to be organically grown, especially those that are subject to insect pests. To get a good crop, farmers spray the produce. Only those sold as organic will not be sprayed. The fruit or vegetables may cost more to compensate for the grower’s loss to insects.

However, some GMO foods may be adverse to your body chemistry, and you deserve to know if the food you plan to eat has been genetically altered, before you buy it. Some food producers are fighting the requirement to label the food as genetically modified. Sometimes it is hard for them to know exactly which food sources are GMO or which ones are not. But some just want you to buy it and eat it, and if you have a reaction to it, how will you be able to prove it? Buyer beware!

All Images and Writing are the copyright © of Ruth Zachary.